The present invention relates to roofing products containing processed paint waste, and more particularly, to products such as elastomeric sealers, primers, caulk, and bedding cement which contain treated paint waste obtained from oil-based and/or water-based paints.
Re-roofing an existing roof is an expensive operation, as such an operation typically includes tearing off the existing roof and replacing defective decking, sheathing, insulation, and the like. Typically, there is a period of time during the re-roofing process in which the inside structure is exposed to outside weather elements; rendering the inside structure vulnerable to water damage. In addition, such a re-roofing process ultimately does not significantly enhance the value of the structure.
In order to avoid the expense of removing and replacing an entire roof, an increasing emphasis has been placed on products for extending the life of existing roof structures. Such products include asphalt and coal tar cements, as well as caulking, aluminized asphalt, elastomeric sealers, patching tapes, and the like. However, such products are only a temporary solution to roof leaks and are often ineffective. In addition, many currently available sealant systems contain solvents, which result in undesirably high volatile organic content (VOC) levels. In addition, such systems may also contain cold tar derivatives, which are known to contain carcinogenic polynuclear aromatic compounds (PNAs).
Moreover, in new construction, a need is emerging for roofing systems containing recycled content. For example, the U.S. Green Building Council has promoted recycling efforts in construction through its “Leadership in Energy and Environment” or LEED program. In recent years, roofing products have been developed which utilize recycled automotive paint sludge as a polymeric component. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,455,598 and 5,880,218, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. However, while such products are environmentally friendly, the use of large amounts of paint sludge results in a wide variation in the roofing product composition as paint waste may be collected in a number of different ways and includes a mixture of several different components including primers, paints, and solvents. In addition, the paint sludge may include automotive solid waste materials such as metal parts, and the like.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a roofing system which will extend the life of an existing roof which is cost-effective, which is environmentally friendly, which provides effective sealing and adhesion characteristics, and is consistent in composition.